Advice and support for the working parent

Christmas gifts for under a fiver

Christmas is coming and though the goose may be getting fat, the wallet is shedding pounds!! Our present lists seem to extend each year but do we really have to spend a lot on everyone? We frequently find ourselves under mounting pressure to buy gifts of a certain money value, we try to match the amount someone may have spent on us, but we don’t always have to spend a lot. There are gifts that you can give which allow thought to be put into them but aren’t expensive. Below are just some ideas that make great Christmas gifts for under a fiver!

Fancy Tights

Most ladies love fancy tights but we don’t always treat ourselves to them. We stick to the serviceable thick denier to get our money’s worth; there is always something else to buy instead of this perceived extravagance. Treat your friend or loved one to a pair and get their legs glammed up for the party season! There are many for under £5.00, love hearts, snowflakes and glitzy glitter ones! There are even stripy red and white festive ones available just perfect for the season.

A personal alarm

A personal alarm makes a great gift and they start from £3.00 onwards. It is a gift that tells someone you care about them and want to keep them safe. Some of the alarms are designed as bag charms, some made as key rings, and they come in a variety of patterns and colours. There are some with a bit of bling too. Although the more bling the higher the price! There are also personal alarms for children designed as cute teddy bears. A personal alarm makes a useful and great gift. It’s often something people have not thought of buying themselves but it will be a well-received gift.

Bag Size Umbrella

This might not sound very inspiring but having a spare brolly is a God send – they always come in! Many charity shops sell (new) umbrellas for under £5.00 making this gift a great choice as it is supporting the charities and is also a useful present for someone.

Mini Hot Water Bottle

Christmas comes with the inevitable cold weather. The elderly and young can particularly benefit from this gift. A hot water bottle always comes in useful for those extra cold nights, providing a bit of extra heat, or when you are feeling bit under the weather. There are many available from £4.95.

Night Light

Especially great for those kids that are scared of the dark! Children’s night lights are a great addition for their bedrooms and start from around £3.95. They range from cute bunnies to their favourite cartoon character.

Travel Sewing Kit

Perfect for the jet-setter on your Christmas list! A travel sewing kit has all the essentials for that holiday emergency and comes in a variety of colourful tins. They usually retail from around £3.95.

Novelty Shower Gel

It’s sometimes difficult getting the kids in the bath. Let’s get the soap dodging imps interested in bathing and showering with novelty shower gels. There are some great ones out there, zombie shower gels, blood bath shower gel, cartoon character gels, pick one they like and get them squeaky clean! These shower gels are available at £4.95.

Grow Me Christmas Tree/ Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees

For your horticultural family and friends this is a fun present and usually retails around £4.95. The first one is for growing your own Christmas tree for next year; granddad or Uncle Bill can look forward to proudly presenting their efforts in the next festive season in all its Christmas glory. The second one is also for the green fingered among us but this tree is said to bring fortune and wealth to those who possess it.

Origami Napkins

This gift is perfect for those friends who enjoy giving their candlelit suppers. They can now impress their friends with creative origami napkins. The pack contains instructions and approximately 40 napkins and usually retails around £4.95. It will provide a great talking point round the dinner table.

80’s TV Trivia Game

This also retails at around £4.95 and is a fantastic gift for those who grew up in the 80’s! Testing their knowledge of TV programmes they used to watch. They will need to brush up on their A Team and Dallas to ensure they are at their competitive best! It has 100 questions to test the grey matter. Great for whiling away those long winter nights.

These are just a small selection of gifts and ideas that can be found in stores and/or on the internet for under £5.00. So it’s not always about the cost, there are original ideas out there that can be tailored to your friends and family needs for considerably less than you might have thought. Some are practical, some are unusual and some are a treat. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas!

About Shani Fowler

Shani is 46 years old and a mum to a five year old little boy, Zak. Together with her husband and German Shepherd Bo, they live in Rothwell, Leeds. For over twenty years Shani worked as a Practice Manager in a Solicitors Practice. During her time there she was lucky enough to have been put through University and studied for four years, obtaining a BA (Hons) Degree in Business Studies. Sadly, the Solicitors Practice closed in September of 2012 but the time felt right to spread her wings a little and set up a Freelance Bookkeeping Service which so far has been successful. The flexibility also allows Shani to focus on her passion for writing too.
She love reading, writing and dancing and has been dancing for about ten years now despite her husband insisting she's not improved, and informing her she possesses the fluidity of movement similar to that of C3PO (the robot from Star Wars)!
Her favourite film is Shaw Shank Redemption, closely followed by Chicago, American Beauty and Philadelphia and her favourite book is Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes.
Shani loves to holiday in Ixia, Greece, loves the Lake District and most of all loves her family (including Bo), friends and loves to laugh!

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